Wednesday, 3 February 2016

DOES MIKING UP PLAYERS TURN CRICKET INTO A CIRCUS?

The latest blog for ESPNcricinfo (given a much snappier title than I've managed) was supposed to be a general look at the way broadcasters are encroaching on the game, particularly T20, asking whether, in the main, this was a good or bad thing, and in what ways.

Then something happened. I was watching the 1st Australia vs India T20I at Adelaide when a quite extraordinary 2 minutes 20 seconds of live international cricket broadcasting happened, involving the current Australian Test captain (though not skipper on this occasion) Steven Smith talking live while batting to the three Channel 9 commentators, Mark Nicholas, Mike Hussey and Ian Healy. It lasted one Ravindra Jadeja over. It ended in Smith's dismissal and a rather animated send-off from Virat Kohli.

So I wrote about that incident, and the wider implications of having players wired up and conversing with commentators.

Smith: Might have to run hard
here. Pretty long boundary straight. We’ll see how we go.

Finch drives to deep
cover. Smith calls “yep” and scurries to get on strike.

Nicholas: Now, are you
pre-meditating or not?

Smith: When do I premeditate?!

Nicholas (laughing): Yeah, yeah.

Jadeja in. Smith works
the ball from outside off to deep mid-wicket.

Smith (to Finch): Yeah, push, c’mon!

They settle for one.

Hussey: That’s really
interesting, Steve: no premeditation at this stage. You’re just seeing the ball
and looking to react to it? Smith: Oh yeah, you never know
what’s going through our minds.

Jadeja is already running into bowl.
Finch drives out into the covers.

Smith (to Finch): Just the one, mate. Smith (to Hussey): You never know mate. You’ve just got to watch the ball
and see what happens.

Smith is on strike for
the final ball of the over.

Healy: He’s darting them in,
angled in to the right-handers. 103kph.

It’s unclear whether this is commentary
or advice. Smith tries to work a ball from outside off stump through the
completely open midwicket region. He gets a leading edge to extra-cover, where
Virat Kohli takes the catch and proceeds to give Smith a send-off.

Nicholas: Steve Smith is out,
and he’s unable to talk us through that. Understandably. What a disappointment:
21 to Steve Smith.